Urban Nightmares: The Vigilante Illness
by mrfraser93
Summary: This is a project I have working for a while, and thought I d post parts here to get feedback and suggestions. This is a book written in the form of CBS s Cold Case-style interviews recalling their memories. Written by T. Drake & J. Todd. Read & responde.


**Urban Nightmares  
By Tim Drake**

_Introduction:_

For decades upon decades our city has been beset by what can only be called a vigilant madness. It is a disease, which began in the prewar period, and continues to this very day. We are a city of nightmares. And yet, very few have any idea how we got that way. What follows is my investigation into that issue. Now, like any Detective-I am a fallible man. And I am no doubt prone to biases and prejudices. There are certain issues where I cannot hope to be objective. I am certainly prejudiced where John Napier is concerned. No amount of training could alter the fact that I am the grandson of Judge Anthony Drake. However, where such issues have entered into the narrative, I have attempted to be as forthcoming with the reader as possible. I would also urge the reader to consider that the evidence I have collected, is by no means the final word on all subjects.

I hope, however that I may be able to dispel more of the nastier rumors, which have crept into the urban dreamscape. My investigation has proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt in my mind, that The Bat-Man of the nineteen forties was no mere creation of the police department as some have alleged. Indeed, all the evidence I have suggests at least two men lay beyond the mask. As the reader is no doubt aware from the cover of the book, I have exposed exactly whose those men were, and what happened to them. In order to understand the vigilante's existence, we must first have a deep understanding of the life of the original. The second man was something of a professional imitator; his motives are of little consequence. He was an actor. The second Batman's career says more about the era's police department than it says about the man himself.

My investigation has also disproved a very popular urban myth. The rumors have it that the Batman was a supernatural entity, and that entity has emerged in various different forms since. I think my book can conclusively prove that they are in fact the creations of various different men, working under radically different motivations. The Batman was not The Green Arrow. I have found no evidence suggesting that either man are the same person as the murderous Red Hood, who haunts the city's nights in the present day.

While my investigation has uncovered the names behind the Bat—Men, and The Green Arrow, at time of printing, the identity of the Red Hood is still unknown. In the absence of evidence, I must simply concur with Dr. Miller's suggestions. I can only hope that my book will force more information into the public eye. The truth is, we cannot abide by this. By accepting the Batman and the Arrow as a citywide passtime, we laid the groundwork for the Red Hood. I cannot blame the men themselves. It would be wrong of me to blame the disturbed for the more distant consequences of their actions. But we cannot continue to abide by it. There are those in this city who, out of nostalgia for their youth, look quite kindly upon the Red Hood.

This has no doubt hindered the ongoing police investigation. I am not one to defend criminals; one infamously killed my grandfather. But a murderer is a murderer, and he should be dealt with as such. My sincerest hope is that by the time this book has reached your eyes, the red hood will be safely imprisoned. I believe my investigations have provided a service to this city. Only by more fully understanding our history, can we even hope to redeem our city. I do not believe this city is dead. We are like a Phoenix, and we shall arise from the ashes. Someday we will be the wonderful city we once were. But to reach that day, we must look towards the past with a clear eye.  
**  
**_**Dedications:**_  
To Stephanie: The Love of My Life.  
To The Police Department and Helena Kyle for their invaluable assistance  
And to all those who have helped me in producing this book. With your efforts, this book could never have been written. 


End file.
